Concerts are good. A concert by AR Rahman is definitely good. And being Backstage in a concert by ARR is….ummm…..i don’t really have to explain this, do I?
God, it was a night to remember…..and all this after skipping dinner on Thursday, and breakfast, lunch, dinner on Friday.
Spent Saturday preparing the quiz. Ditto Sunday morning. Birdonthewire, sorry, buddy. The quiz started at 1:30 pm. I really, really apologise, and I swear I’ll make it up to you.
Finally got a book that made me sit for three hours and finish it. “The Spirit of Lagaan” by a guy named Satyajit somebody. Scoff all you want, but i found this one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. Chuck all those bloomin’ self-help management books out of the window. This one is it. The struggle Aamir, Ashutosh and Co had to go through to make this film actually happen – mindboggling, yes, and all of it rings true!!
The book has a lot of interesting anecdotes too, and some literally make you laugh aloud. When Paul Blackthorne, the guy who played Captain Russelllanded up in Champaner , people were amazed! Because he had taken a train to Kutch, and looked more like a hippie than an army Captain…..the writer recalls showing him around, and the heat was getting too much for him, and Paul starts stripping off his clothes, all the while mumbling something to himself…..he’s in his pajamas, when the others realise he is mouthing the film’s dialogues. “Tumse hum itna lagaan vasool karega ke tumhare paas khaane ke liye roti nahin hoga, pehenne ke liye kapda nahin hoga.” and at that time he is nearly buck-naked! :-)
Another interesting story about Paul is that he looked at his character in a very methodical way…he had infact fashioned a “background story” about why Captain Russell behaves the way he does – abused as a child and all…..”Russell is not a bad bloke after all – he’s just been driven up the wall by Bhuvan and the rest of the lot.”
The final day of the shoot, the Britishers had a grudge match against the Indians, whom they trounced solidly, and the victors got a standing ovation from the Kutchis and their opponents.
Brilliant book. Brilliant movie. It took me (and the rest of my friends) around a month to figure out what the warcry was…..we heard it as “Hey bhaiyya jhoothe lalla”!
I still hate cricket.
I wanna read that book…I have read a few passages. Its really cool.
I think it’s available for 250 Rs at normal bookstalls. I was lucky enough to get it for 100 Rs at a 2nd hand bookstall here.
i want to read it too, after reading your description. i wonder if it’s available on my side of the world… when do they do the warcry? in the end, when they win?
i came across yr journal today.. can i add you on my friends list?..:)
> i came across yr journal today.. can i add you on my friends list?..:)
:-) please do. I added you too.
The warcry “Rey Bhaiyya Chhoote Lagaan” can be heard throughout the cricket match in the movie, it’s also there in the Theme “Once upon a Time in India” in the audio cd, although in a more stylized form…
Tidbit: when the shooting for the movie finally ended, the cast and crew shouted “Rey Bhaiyya Chhoota Lagaan. “
And may I know where your side of the world is? :-)
i’m in the land of the gora people, desperately wishing i was back on the same side of the world as Champaner..>:)
You can get it here
But it’s worth 22$!!!!
Drop me a line next time you are in India. :-)
aah, but i can get a used one for $16…….:)
which part of india are you in?
Working in Hyderabad, but I am basically from Assam. What about you? :-)
delhi, the city of ashoka trees, politicians, redline buses, fog and good chaat…:)